Shaw & Tenney Blog

How to properly Size Rowing Oars
How to properly Size Rowing Oars
Rowing with the correct length and style of oar makes all the difference in your rowing experience. A great boat is no fun to row with the wrong oars and... Read more...
What wood species should I select?
What wood species should I select?
One of the most common questions we get from customers is what kind of wood should I have my paddle or oar made from? We offer up to eight species... Read more...
Shaw & Tenney Receives Two Prestigious Accolades
Shaw & Tenney Receives Two Prestigious Accolades
First, we’re proud to announce that the Maine Wood Products Association (MWPA) has awarded Shaw & Tenney the annual Pine Cone Award in recognition of continued investment in Maine and... Read more...
Inside our Wooden Boat Hooks, Hand-crafted in Maine
Inside our Wooden Boat Hooks, Hand-crafted in Maine
One of the unique products that we make are traditional wooden boat hooks. Shaw & Tenney has been handcrafting wooden boat hooks since former owner Paul Reagan discovered a beautiful... Read more...
Selecting the Best Style of Oar for your Boat
Selecting the Best Style of Oar for your Boat
Selecting the right oar for your particular boat and rowing style will significantly enhance your rowing experience. Using the correct length oar to provide the proper 7:18 leverage ratio is... Read more...
Setting up a Canoe for Rowing
Setting up a Canoe for Rowing
One of the questions we get fairly often is "can I set up my canoe for rowing?" The simple answer is yes. Rowing canoes is not a new concept and... Read more...
The North Woods Paddle and Stroke
The North Woods Paddle and Stroke
We are often asked to make North Woods paddles by our customers. We have always responded with the same answer "Ask Alexandra Conover Bennett to make you one, she hand... Read more...
Sculling Oars for Propelling All Sizes of Boats
Sculling Oars for Propelling All Sizes of Boats
Sculling with a single oar off the transom is the ancient art of propelling a vessel with a figure 8 or "falling leaf" motion. A proficient sculler can easily move... Read more...
Paddle Forward Give Back - Artisan Canoe Paddles
Paddle Forward Give Back - Artisan Canoe Paddles
Since 2014, our Paddle Forward, Give Back program has collaborated with Maine non-profit organizations to help support their missions. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, the Maine... Read more...
Historic Oars for Wood Island Life Saving Station
Historic Oars for Wood Island Life Saving Station
The summer of 2023 will mark the reopening of the historic Wood Island Life Saving Station in Kittery Point, Maine. The predecessor to the US Coast Guard (founded in 1915),... Read more...
Welcome the New Caretakers
Welcome the New Caretakers
Shaw & Tenney is committed to hand-crafting the world’s finest wooden oars and paddles. Through its 165 years of operation the company has been shepherded by three families. Since 2003,... Read more...
The Unvarnished Advantage
The Unvarnished Advantage
Why Shaw and Tenney Handles are Unvarnished Details matter shen it comes to making the most of your time on the water. From the design of the boat to the... Read more...